WHEELING — Dave Wojcik last coached a high school basketball game 16 years ago when he was guiding Wheeling Central to a repeat Class A state championship.

That will change this winter.

Linsly Headmaster Justin Zimmerman officially announced Wojcik’s hiring as new head boys basketball coach. Wojcik will take over the reins from James Wallace, who stepped down to focus on increased administrative duties.

“I am very excited about this opportunity,” Wojcik said. “I plan to treat this job like any other I’ve had in my career. We’ll have a program based on accountability and hard work.”

In a prepared statement, Zimmerman said, “we are excited about Dave Wojcik’s arrival. Dave will be more than just a basketball coach at Linsly, and I firmly believe his impact will be significant in many areas of our community. He is committed to working to uphold Linsly’s high academic, character, and behavior standards in all areas of school life.”

Wojcik will work full time at Linsly on top of his coaching duties in facility management.

“Mr. Zimmerman has a great vision for Linsly and is doing great things,” Wojcik said. “I really believe he will continue to do so, too. He’s a big, big reason why I accepted this job.”

Wojcik spent 14 years in the Division I college coaching ranks and has since returned to the Ohio Valley to spearhead a travel basketball team — the TMPW Xplorers.

Wojcik doesn’t expect any issues in re-adjusting to the high school game or high school kids.

“Coaching is coaching, no matter the level,” Wojcik admitted. “I really never felt that itch to get back in because I was (coaching) on the AAU side of things, but when this Linsly situation popped up, I started thinking about it and it just made sense to me.”

Wojcik obviously won’t have the opportunity to lead Linsly to a state championship, but there are plenty of other things — even beyond the OVAC — that the Cadets could eventually play for.

“Times have changed, especially with basketball,” Wojcik said. “Kids want to get recruited (by colleges) and play against good competition, regardless if they’re at a boarding school or a school that’s a member of its state association.”

Wojcik used his two nephews — Paxson and Denham — who attended La Lumiere, which played in the Cancer Research Classic and eventually the Geico High School National Tournament in New York, as an example.

“I hope, in time, to be able to get Linsly to that kind of level,” Wojcik said. “There is a chance for great exposure on the basketball side and find kids who fit the culture of the school both academically and socially.”

Though Wojcik hopes to see Linsly expand its schedule in terms of the number of games it plays, he also plans, in time, to expand the variety of schools in which his team lines up against.

“I would love to continue to play local schools, but I want to see it expand, too,” Wojcik said. “I would like to get us into some Christmas tournaments and let our kids have an experience while gaining some exposure. We’re not going to shy away from anyone. We’ll play anyone who wants to play us. I’ve always been that way because I want our kids to play good competition and good teams because it brings out the best in you.”

There’s a faction of people who believe that once a college coach always a college coach will set in for Wojcik and eventually he will return to the next level. While he never said never, he admitted that he plans to be at Linsly for “long time.”

“I want to be here and set some roots,” Wojcik said. “As a coach, you’re always looking to build something and make it special. I want to do that at Linsly.”

On top of that, Wojcik’s son, Jake, just started every game as a freshman for the University of Richmond basketball team where he averaged eight points and more than four rebounds a game. Richmond is just a six-hour drive from Wheeling.

“My son being at the University of Richmond was a big factor because I want to be able to see him play,” Wojcik said. “(Being in the Ohio Valley) gives me some flexibility to do that.”

Wojcik hasn’t fully finalized his coaching staff, but he did say that Dave Koehler will remain on the staff.